Adoor Gopalakrishnan uses a completely new narrative style for Anantaram. The film develops through a commentary by Ajayan about himself in the first person. Later he tells another story about his life with the same background. Finally both these stories fuse together.

The film is structured like a monologue. I actually titled the film Monologue in English. The sequences of events are arranged in a manner following the logic of a monologue. It is in fact a visual monologue. Ajayan, the main character is a young person in an irrational state of mind. He is trying to find the rationale to his irrationality. His attempt is to narrate how he became what he is now.

Ajayan, an orphan is brought up by a doctor. A brilliant child, Ajayan grows up into an introvert and confused youth. The beautiful Suma arrive at their house after marrying Balu, his foster-brother. Ajayan at the very first sight of his sister-in-law gets sexually attracted to her. This creates internal conflict within him and ultimately he leaves the house.

In the second story Ajayan narrates his confused youth and about the beautiful girl, Nalini who enters his life. Ajayan's mind shifts often between reality and an imaginary romantic world. Finally both these stories converge to a point where both Nalini and Suma become a single entity.

Anantaram won Adoor Gopalakrishnan both State and National awards for best director in 1987.